Anyone who has been through the unfortunate experience of a break-in theft of a motor vehicle radio-cassette unit knows that the total cost of the break-in amounts to far more than the price of replacing the stolen unit alone. Other expenses include the cost of general damage repair including window, door, and dashboard damage, lost time at the repair shop, increased insurance premiums, and possible reduced vehicle resale value. Added to all this is the emotional toll of having one's valued personal property violated.
While theft prevention systems for vehicles are known, they tend to be expensive and ineffective. The removal of temptation for a thief can accomplish the purpose of theft prevention at a lower cost than an elaborate prevention system.
It is known that motor vehicle break-in thieves are drawn by visual observation of radio-cassette units. The thief selects his target after ascertaining that a desirable radio-cassette unit is in place. The more expensive the model of vehicle, the better the quality of a radio-cassette stereo system and therefore the greater the temptation is to break in. A thief will visually verify the presence of a radio-cassette unit by noting the front unit, which includes control knobs or buttons, a cassette recess, a dial, and dial control knobs or buttons at the dash unit. If there is a question whether or not a radio-cassette unit is mounted in the dashboard, the odds are that the thief will pass up that particular vehicle.
In accordance with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, there is provided a theft prevention camouflage system for a radio-cassette unit unit including control means removably mounted in the dashboard of a motor vehicle. A cover is removably positioned at the dashboard for concealing the radio-cassette unit from view. A tongue member connected to the cover is adapted to be removably positioned in the cassette recess of the radio-cassette unit so as to act as a grip holding the cover in place over the radio-cassette unit around the frame. A protruding lip extending transversely from the inner surface of the edge of the cover and the inner surface of the cover define a hollow; the auditory control means are positioned in the hollow when the cover is mounted over the radio-cassette unit unit. The outer surface of the cover is generally of the same decorative scheme as the dashboard. The tongue member is capable of being removably positioned in the cassette recess by way of hook-and-loop connecting elements mounted to a base at the inner end of the tongue member and covering the inner surface of the cover so that the tongue member can be positioned at any position on the cover in accordance with the various cassette recess locations of the various radio-cassette and cassette models and manufacturers.
The present invention will be better understood and the objects and important features, other than those specifically set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following details and description, which when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, describes, discloses, illustrates, and shows preferred embodiments or modifications of the present invention and what is presently considered and believed to be the best mode of practice in the principles thereof. Other embodiments or modifications ma be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.